France aware of Zaldy Co’s fugitive status – Palace

Metro Manila, Philippines – France is aware that fugitive former lawmaker Zaldy Co is facing accountability in the Philippines, Malacañang said Thursday, April 30,  as Manila continues efforts to bring him home.

Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. raised Co’s status during his meeting with French Ambassador to the Philippines Marie Fontanel on Wednesday.

“Sinabi po niya na ang bungad po ng Pangulo ay patungkol sa estado ni Zaldy Co na isang fugitive na dapat na mayroong panagutan sa ating bansa kung siya man po ay masasabing guilty,” Castro said.

[Translation: The president opened the discussion by referring to Zaldy Co’s status as a fugitive who must face accountability in our country if he is found guilty.]

Castro said Fontanel understood Co’s situation.

“Naintindihan po ni French Ambassador at sabi po niya na naiintindihan niya at alam niya na pugante, a fugitive itong si Mr. Zaldy Co at kinakailangan na may harapin na accountability,” she said.

[Translation: The French Ambassador understood and said she knows Mr. Zaldy Co is a fugitive and must face accountability.]

But Castro said the French envoy could not provide details on Co’s asylum application or status without authorization.

“As far as she is concerned, sinabi po niya na wala siyang maibibigay na impormasyon hangga’t hindi siya authorized to say something about that,” Castro said.

[Translation: As far as she is concerned, she said she cannot provide information unless she is authorized to say something about it.]

Co is reportedly in France after filing a petition for political asylum. Malacañang earlier said he is no longer under Czech custody after being detained over invalid travel documents.

Castro said the Czech Republic’s chargé d’affaires, Eva Tenzin, confirmed to Marcos that Co had been detained by Czech authorities due to invalid travel documents.

“Mr. President, you are correct in your information that Zaldy Co was detained by Czech authorities due to invalid travel documents,” Castro quoted Tenzin as telling Marcos.

The Palace said Marcos expressed disappointment over Co’s release from Czech custody and asked both France and the Czech Republic for clarity on what happened.

The government said it will continue to pursue legal and diplomatic channels to bring Co back to the Philippines to face graft and malversation cases.